Thursday, 17 March 2011

Read 2010: The beginning of my journey back into the joy of reading again. The list for 2011 is probably going to much, much longer. I can hear you all saying, "yay, tell us more!" Ok... settle down.

Also, I think this Amazon feature is convenient and cool, please don't take this as a massive ad, because it's not. I don't even know how the program actually works, I just like the idea of easily linking books for you to add to your wishlist!

Schott's Original Miscellany, I was amused to see recently that Jenny in Gossip Girl is reading this book the morning after she is attacked by Chuck in the first episode. If it was on Gossip Girl, then you know it's quality. That sounds sarcastic, but I'm totally guilty of loving so much stuff that is featured on Gossip Girl. Though I'm glad I owned this book before seeing it on Gossip Girl. It's a great little read too. I read it cover to cover instead of just flipping through randomly, and I found it quite delightful, full of facts that don't really matter except to the Regency Era version of me sitting in the corner of my mind pretending she is Jane Austen.

The Book Thief, this book will smash your heart.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, so happy I finally read this book after the seeing the film many times and having owned the book for over a year. I was impressed at how closely the film followed the book. I am looking forward to reading more of his works and reflecting on them again when I brush up on more history of that time.

Looking for Alaska, I believe Paper Towns was my favourite John Green novel, though Alaska is most certainly worth the praise that it receives. Quite heartbreaking and frustrating.

Frisco Pigeon Mambo, someone sent me this and it was quite funny. Reading a pigeon's thoughts. I feel like this is one of those books one should read when they are still grotty and 12, however the references are more pleasing when one is older.

The Walking Dead: Days Gone Bye, Michael was reading The Walking Dead and the series was coming out and so I thought I'd check it out. It was OK. A little awkward at times, but still a great concept. I was impressed how the series was able to stretch out the first issue for the whole season.

Jane, I'm not sure what this is.

GQ/Jan, now this magazine or at least, this issue was good! This was the issue with Rhianna on the cover and they had a page about different lunches you could make and I fell in love. Ripped it out of the borrowed magazine and still have it now. I can't wait to follow their lunchtime instructions.

Glamour/Aug, this magazine was lying on the floor of Michael's room. God know's why. Whatever. Anyway, I wanted to see what a Glamour magazine was like and I wasn't surprised. More sex and other stuff that I find completely trivial.

Deathnote #1, I'd be interested in seeing how this story plays out. It's about a boy who picks up a book that's used by those that control who dies, and he starts using it himself, killing off murders he see's on TV.

Detroit Metal City #1, I bought this for my brother's birthday, but wanted to make sure it was OK first. It's quite funny, but possibly offensive to those who either like light music or dark music. I ended up keeping it and sent James a different present. I give it to him sometime... but I also think I may have left it in New York. Hmm...

Paper Towns, I read this after purchasing a copy at VidCon. I loved the passion around the nerdfighters and though I should properly join the bandwagon and read the book. John Green had also helped me out a bit, just by being nice, during VidCon and so it's my only way I can repay him.

Eat Pray Love, I was quite excited about reading this book. I first saw it in my friends room back in April 2009 and found myself quickly reading through the first few pages and enjoying it. I finished it on a plane on the way back from VidCon, and it was OK. I didn't find her revelations as incredible as others might, because I already had those revelations and I also found her attempt at humour a bit embarrassing at some points. She also seemed to be a bit annoying at times, which means, she must be honest because so many of us are annoying.

And Tango Makes Three, I read this in the Barnes and Noble on 17th St because I know these people! They're charming and amazing and this book is incredible. Recently their work was featured in the Museum of Sex!

the perks of being a wallflower, now being turned into a film. Read this before you see the movie so we can all possibly feel enraged! I'm just kidding, I'm sure they'll create a lovely adaptation. I'm worried about this book. I think I lent it to a friend, it was a used copy, but still, I want it. I could often see myself in the lead character, and I think that's why it resonates with so many people.

Dance Spirit/Feb, oh, you know, just another magazine to make me feel guilty for giving my life's ambition up. I desperately want to get back into dancing, but I need the funds to train and am without right now... still. A great magazine for the younger crowd because DANCE magazine was always far too serious for me when I was younger.

Nylon/Feb, you can't call this a teen fashion magazine, despite the teens in it, because I don't think they could get away with putting ads for cigarettes in it. That's the only thing I don't like, that they've left American Spirit or whatever it's called place ads in it's magazine. I think that's very wrong of them.
Anyway, I love Nylon. I had the Nylon front desk experience before they put a lock on their front door (surely not because of me! haha) and it was amazing. The two girls were so nice and an excellent representation of what the magazine claims to be. I'll subscribe again when I can afford it.

TeenVogue/Mar, I like Teen Vogue. Fashion-wise I find the pieces in this magazine more inspiring than those that are selected for Women's magazine. The articles can actually be quite lame, though, which is disappointing and it's the only magazine that I could possibly trade in my desired life for a life of high-consumerism purely just to fight against the large majority of pointless articles. I'm sure it's not the topics or the age-target, but just the format. The best teen fashion magazine out there though, I've checked. This does treat their audience fairly seriously and is doing it's best to not be totally disney-fied.

Empire/Feb, I think this was a good issue, though maybe it wasn't from 2010. It was an inside look into the films coming out with some amazing pictures from behind the scenes of some classic films. This is a magazine I would subscribe to if I could.

Will Grayson Will Grayson, my very own Advanced Reader's Copy! I was so excited and made John Green feel awkward, because plenty of people get them, but it still meant a lot. I owned Paper Towns but hadn't read it so Will Grayson was my first John Green book (with David Levithan, yes, of course.) It was brilliant and the references were intriguing, and I started another list, but was soon swept into the story once I things started to get really shocking!

Real Simple/Jan, I would borrow these from the lady of the house and indulge in neatness and organization and recipes. I still have some recipes and they are really, really good. I don't like the consumer side of the magazine, but I do appreciate the constant quest of organizing every single possible thing in the Universe.

The Iliad, an epic chore. Yes, there are some really beautifully written passages, which is why the book is totally dog-eared, but it really was a challenge to complete it and I still think Achilles is a whiney bitch.

An Education, The last film of 2010, which is funny because I think it was the last film I saw in 2009... Yes, yes it was. I wonder if I could make that a thing?

Ghost Town, I watched another film I had seen in 2009. I'm just watching films that my Mum hasn't seen. I really enjoy watching films she hasn't seen with her.

Inception, another "you've got to watch this" from Blockbuster, which yes, is still around here.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, I bought this for Darryl for Christmas. Do I need to say it again? No, but I will: Bread makes you fat!?

Kick Ass, Hmm, no, I bought this for Darryl for Christmas. I know that I enjoyed seeing it again, at least.

Love Actually, I watched this alone in my room a few days after Christmas.

500 Days of Summer, I watched this with my Dad while hanging out at his house because he absolutely loves it. It's probably one of his all-time favourite movies, which I find a little weird. He is head-over-heels in love with Zooey Deschanel.

Prince of Persia, Dad purchased this off cable one day when we were hanging out and we didn't feel like being inside. I was shocked at the quality of some of the effects since it was Disney and the amazing Jerry Bruckheimer.

Tomorrow When The War Began, I watched this film just before we descended into Australia (is that correct?) and it was really awesome. I was surprised how good it was since it is an Aussie film, and I know it's not good to say this. but so many Aussie films don't do good teen movies or don't even try to make them. So it was really refreshing and great to see Lincoln Lewis (extra buddy) and Rachel Hurd-Wood from Peter Pan and Caitlin Stasey from Sleepover Club do their thing. LOOK HOW MANY FILMS I CAN GET DOWN WHILE ON A PLANE. OH YEAH.

Wild Target, I watched this film on the plane, too! I thought the possibility of a romance between Emily Blunt and Bill Nighy a little unrealistic, but, hey, stranger things have happened. Rupert Grint was sweet as well.

Eat Pray Love, I finally decided to watch this while on the plane, despite all the bad reviews. It wasn't my favourite film. It wasn't my favourite book either. Some moments were sweet, a lot of it felt really impossible and forced. I think Billy Crudup added some truth about the writer to the film, which made it more interesting.

The Special Relationship, I loved that the same team from The Queen was back for this film. I did not find it as interesting as I found The Queen. I did like how they tackled the Lewinsky issue within their marriage. I also thought that there could have been someone more suitable for Clinton than Dennis Quaid.

Predators, I didn't want to watch this, but I have this thing where I force myself to watch the last movie from the first or last section and this was it. I liked that Topher Grace was in it. I was so bored with it (just not in to these kinds of films) that I let it play while I spent a long time in the plane bathroom brushing my teeth and washing my face, just really trying to make time past faster. I felt so guilty about not watching it properly when I returned to my seat that I rewound it back to where I left it and watched all that I had missed on fast forward... so it was sort of pointless.

The Disappearance of Alice Creed, I love QANTAS. I really do. If I could afford to, I'd always fly with them. I suppose other airlines are doing this these days, but I love that they let us access the Entertainment System while on the ground without even making a big deal about it. We were on the tarmac for 40 minutes, but it was totally fine because drinks were served and we could watch whatever we wanted, they didn't even interrupt the service during take-off, which just shows you how powerful these planes are that they can still have hundreds of little TVs playing all kinds of things while it's trying to get up in the air. I'm in awe of the what they can do with these machines. People take them for granted, but I'll always appreciate them wholeheartedly. This movie was very interesting. I really love the actor, Eddie Marsan. I think he is amazing. So brave and vulnerable. I hope I watch all his work one day.

The Beach, last film I watched in America. I find it hard to not want to watch this film when someone hasn't seen it and I'm about to go traveling.

Every Little Step, I watched this on the Brooklyn XBOX Netflix one day. It was very interesting. I hope that I can do this myself one day. It's a terrifying process, but I'll always feel silly if I never try.

Going The Distance, I watched this film while on a plane. Where was I going? Was I on a plane? I'm sure I was. Maybe I was going to LA for some reason? Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One,The Happening,

AGES AGO I WROTE THIS: fuuuck. I wrote a description for each of these, using actors names and every thing and all gone. god dammit. MOVING ON!

Being John Malkovich, The Quiet American, Helvetica, The Client, Town & Country, Annie Hall, Casino, Matilda, Die Hard, Happy Go Lovely, Independent Lens: Between The Folds, Charade, The L Word S2, Dog Day Afternoon, Harvey, Familiar Strangers, The Jerk, East of Eden, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Eddie Izzard: Circle, Righteous Kill, Donnie Darko, A Fish Called Wanda, Outside Providence, Howl, Rebel Without a Cause, This Film Is Not Yet Rated, National Geographic: Secret Yosemite, It Might Get Loud, The Secret of Kells, National Geographic: Inside The Secret Service, The September Issue, Babies, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, The Wind That Shakes The Barley, Milk, It's Kind Of A Funny Story, Never Let Me Go, Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas, The Social Network, The Stepfather, When Harry Met Sally, Parenthood, The Taming of the Shrew, Easy A, The Awful Truth, The End of the Affair, A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy, Top Gun, Dexter S1, Picture Me: A Model's Diary, The Princess and the Frog, Catfish, Mao's Last Dancer, The Big Chill, Downloading Nancy, The Ugly Truth, Old Dogs, Shakespeare in Love, Fargo, He Loves Me He Loves Me Not, The Men Who Stare At Goats, Land Before Time, Labyrinth, Heavy Metal, Weird Science, Pootie Tang, What About Bob, Below, Battle Royale, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day, Shaun of the Dead, The Other Guys, Eclipse, Get Low, When Harry Met Sally, Chopping Mall, Garden of Heathens, Birdemic, Kate and Leopold, Did You Hear About The Morgans? The Informant! The Crazies, Wet Hot American Summer, Winnebago Man, Inception, The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Now & Then, Spice World, Planet 51, The Room, Sophie's Choice,Skins S2, Toy Story 3, Buster Keaton: A Hard Act To Follow, Brewster McCloud, The Cameraman, Bedtime Stories, Get Him To The Greek, Capitalism: A Love Story, The Birds, Calamity Jane, Law Abiding Citizen, A Streetcar Named Desire, 8 1/2, Times Square, Remember Now, Everybody's Fine, The Clique, Couples Retreat, Gun Shy, No Country For Old Men, The Time Traveler's Wife, The Silver Brumby, Confessions of a Superhero, Kick Ass, Girl 27, Notting Hill, Stagedoor, Barry Lyndon, How To Tame Your Dragon, Love Happens, Lost In Austen, Deadly Prey, Clash of the Titans, The Exploding Girl, The Iron Giant, Ghost World, Hot Tub Time Machine, Greenberg, Valentino: The Last Emperor, A Prophet, The Runaways, Alice in Wonderland, House, Skins S1, Good Hair, Capote, Man Push Cart, The Queen, Shutter Island, Breathless, The Hurt Locker, Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, Australia, It's Complicated, Reservoir Dogs, The General's Daughter, Fired Up, The Lovely Bones, Mr & Mrs Smith, The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy, Youth In Revolt, Labyrinth, Nine

I recently finished my devotional on Modern Culture! I could not keep it to one page a day, the entries were too interesting. So I started reading 8 or more each time I could lay my hands on it, and so, have finally finished. I've owned the book for well over a year, I'm sure, but I'm still proud.

So here's a recap and a test of what I've learned from this devotional. I'm going to try to summarize one thing I've learnt about each entry without reading the page. Ready? Go!

Sigmund Freud - a psychologist. I currently own his The Interpretation of Dreams, which is his most popular work. Popular for making people realize they like their mothers more than they should and that they also like penises probably more than they should.

Crime and Pun--

THIS IS A STUPID IDEA. Why do I want to spend my time trying to summarize it? You could just read the book for yourself and I could read it whenever I needed to check up on something.

I'm really frustrated right now because I've been staring at pictures of YouTubers all day because I have to make this Keynote presentation, and I have spent sooo much time now summarizing these peoples lives and talents and adding up their view counts and all that stuff for years now, and it's actually really depressing because I'm so over it. I like and respect all these people but I don't want to spend anymore time writing about other people living there lives.

A little bit down today = smearing peanut butter on a cracker and then walking around the room in a circle while eating it until you get back to where the peanut butter jar is and repeating this action several times.

Wednesday, 2 March 2011

"This summer 2010–11, to mark the end of the first decade of this millennium, the Gallery presents ‘21st Century: Art in the First Decade’. This ambitious and ground-breaking exhibition will occupy the entire Gallery of Modern Art and focus exclusively on works created between 2000 and 2010. It will showcase more than 200 works and feature over 140 artists and artist collaborative groups – senior, mid-career and emerging – from more than 40 countries."

Here's what I liked about it:

The NASDAQ numbers lining the wall that you don't notice as you enter but really notice when you leave.

The SLIDES! They have slides. I giggled to myself as I went to the second story, grabbed a mat and slid down that amazing and fast silver slide. I was very excited.

The art, of course, I had just come from a dance class and I was aching, but I let myself look long and hard at each piece.

My favourite pieces were the ones that were interactive. I liked the wishing ribbons, where you take a wish and where it on your wrist and write a wish of your own in it's place. When the ribbon breaks lose your wish is meant to come true... or is wish written on the ribbon meant to come true. Either way, it fell off eventually, and yes, I do feel a little braver.

I also noticed "Leandro Erlich’s astounding trompe l’oeil sculpture, The swimming pool, which represented Argentina at the 2001 Venice Biennale" which I think may have appeared at a gallery in New York while I was living there. Unfortunately I went at a time when nobody was looking down into the pool, so the effect was sort of lost for me.

That after an invisible french lady recited french words for me while I peed, I found a whole bunch of YouTubers that I had either met or knew pretty well, on the walls of the Internet Cafe they had set up. It's a pretty impressive display of all the Memes we know and love, I was so excited to see people like Strawburry17 up there and Know Your Meme! Very cool!

The half-an-easter-egg of coloured plastic bags that hung from the ceiling

The glittering photography of Damien Hirst's For The Love of God.

The cardboard box archway. I had to restrain myself so as not to try to knock it over.

The fake Japanese convenience store full of empty containers. Quite eerie.